Hong Kong Smart Lighting Expo and Spring Lighting Fair Conclude Successfully, Industry Shows Positive Outlook
On April 23, 2026, the 3rd Smart Lighting Expo and the 17th Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition), organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, concluded successfully at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The four-day event brought together around 900 exhibitors and attracted approximately 13,000 buyers from 114 countries and regions who attended in person for sourcing and networking. Buyer attendance increased from various regions, including Malaysia and the Philippines in Asia; France, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, and Turkey in Europe; as well as markets in North and South America such as Brazil, Canada, and the United States. This once again highlights Hong Kong's role as a global hub for lighting products and technology exchange.
Irina Fan, Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, stated: This year's efficiency, smart lighting, and sustainable products and solutions, but also successfully brought together a large number of high-quality international buyers for on-site sourcing. This has helped enterprises diversify their supply chains and explore new markets. It also highlights Hong Kong's advantages as an 'international exhibition capital' and an efficient business platform, making it the preferred destination for the industry to demonstrate innovation, connect with global buyer networks, and accelerate business expansion.
Survey Shows Respondents Are Most Optimistic About the Indian and Australian Markets
To stay aligned with the latest industry trends, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council conducted an on-site survey during the exhibition, interviewing 450 exhibitors and buyers. The results indicate that both exhibitors and buyers have generally become more confident about future business prospects.
Key Highlights of Market Outlook and Product Trends
According to the survey conducted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, 49.1% of respondents expect overall sales to increase over the next 12 to 24 months, while 47.6% anticipate stable performance.
Respondents identified the following markets as having “good” or “very good” growth prospects for lighting products over the next two years: India (73.4%), Australia (71%), ASEAN countries (70.4%), and Japan (68.1%). In terms of market expansion efforts, the regions most actively being explored by exhibitors are the Middle East (31.8%), Europe (29.5%), ASEAN countries (23.9%), Latin America (17.6%), and North America (14.8%).
In the smart lighting segment, respondents believe that home automation and smart lighting control systems (48.2%), energy-efficient lighting control solutions (38.2%), and outdoor smart security lighting systems (31.1%) will have the greatest growth potential over the next two years. Compared with traditional lighting products, consumers are willing to pay an average premium of 29% for lighting products equipped with smart features.
Scenario-Based Displays and New Themed Zones Effectively Boost Procurement Conversion, Delivering Strong Trade Results
The newly introduced “Lighting Lab” this year showcased lighting products through multiple scenario-based and immersive designs, placing them directly within application settings such as landscaping, sports, culture, and art. Shanghai Sansi Electronic Engineering Co., Ltd. presented products including plant lighting clips and compact spotlight fixtures suitable for museums.
According to Zhu Guoli, Deputy Chief Engineer, the “Lighting Lab” significantly enhanced product presentation by helping buyers quickly understand product features and application scenarios. It successfully attracted buyers from Argentina, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, and the United States to visit the booth for business discussions, with expected orders exceeding USD 1 million.
At this year's Smart Lighting Expo, a new “Smart Commercial Display & Stage Audio-Visual Zone” was introduced, showcasing a wide range of intelligent display products. Absen Optoelectronic Co., Ltd., an industry leader, participated for the first time. Senior Sales Engineer Tang Hao stated that the new zone significantly increased product exposure, attracting buyers from Eastern Europe, Oceania, North America, South America, and South Asia.
These buyers represent new clients from key sectors such as cultural tourism and stage engineering. The company also initiated several promising business negotiations with potential clients from the Dominican Republic, Hong Kong, and Thailand, further expanding its international market reach. It is estimated that orders from the exhibition could reach USD 930,000, and the company has already decided to participate in the upcoming Hong Kong International Autumn Lighting Fair.
Meanwhile, the debut of the “Leisure Lighting Zone” injected fresh momentum into the Spring Lighting Fair. First-time exhibitor NIZ Co., Ltd. benefited significantly from the platform. Finance Director Rebecca Seo noted that the fair provided an excellent opportunity to connect with international buyers. The company successfully attracted buyers from Denmark, Germany, Japan, and the United States, with a well-known Japanese home goods retailer placing an order on-site. Benefiting from the strong visitor traffic generated by the new zone, the company expects exhibition-driven orders to reach as high as USD 70 million this year.
This year's twin lighting fairs also received strong support from Zhongshan, which served as a special partner city. Delegations from Zhongshan Guzhen and Henglan participated in the Smart Lighting Expo, forming a dedicated Zhongshan Smart Home Zone to showcase the region's competitive and large-scale lighting manufacturing capabilities, helping local enterprises expand into international markets. For example, Bairan Lighting, a key enterprise in Henglan, reported positive results. According to Manager Liu Xiaoxia, the fairs provided an efficient “going global” platform, enabling direct engagement with buyers from Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Southeast Asia. The company expects to achieve approximately USD 2 million in sales.
In addition, during the exhibition, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council organized a buyer delegation to visit Zhongshan for the first time, touring multiple lighting manufacturing facilities and participating in business matching meetings. This initiative deepened cooperation across the Zhongshan lighting supply chain and led to several tangible business opportunities. Notably, New Zealand buyer Spark100 Ltd successfully established a partnership with a Zhongshan-based lighting supplier, with expected procurement orders ranging from USD 100,000 to USD 300,000.
The exhibition also attracted buyers from the Middle East. According to Zhang Jie, Vice President of Sales at Shenzhen Tailong Electronics Co., Ltd., the company successfully connected with a buyer from the United Arab Emirates and a procurement representative from a well-known U.S. women's fashion brand, both of whom are expected to become partners. The company anticipates that the exhibition will generate approximately USD 2 million in sales.
Driven by the Belt and Road Initiative, urban development across participating countries is accelerating, leading to a continuous rise in demand for high-efficiency and smart lighting products. Aigerim Beisekina, Supply Manager at Karelz.kz, commented: “This is our first time visiting both lighting fairs. We are seeking reliable suppliers for three international schools currently under construction in Kazakhstan, particularly for solar stadium lighting and sports lighting solutions. Through the ‘Click2Match' business matching platform, we have identified three potential suppliers from mainland China and plan to procure lighting equipment worth between USD 600,000 and 900,000.”
During the two lighting fairs, a series of professional events were held, including the Asian Lighting Conference and the Smart Lighting Solution Forum. Designers and industry representatives from different regions were invited to share insights on market trends, application cases, and technological developments, providing forward-looking perspectives for the industry.
Integration of Online and Offline Channels Extends Post-Show Business Opportunities
The two lighting fairs continue to adopt the “EXHIBITION+” hybrid model, enabling buyers not only to source products on-site but also to continue business discussions after the event through the Click2Match smart matching platform and the HKTDC Sourcing platform. This approach helps exhibitors and buyers generate more collaboration opportunities beyond the physical exhibition period.
The “Click2Match” smart business matching platform for both fairs will remain open until April 30, continuing to facilitate connections and partnerships between global exhibitors and buyers.
